How Much Weight Has Mama June Lost and How Did She Do It?

There’s something so inspirational about dramatic weight loss transformations. That’s why there are so many shows devoted to the topic, from The Biggest Loser to My 600-lb Life.

But it’s not just weight loss shows that fascinate fans. There are plenty of celebrities and reality television stars who successfully shed tons on weight. One of the most dramatic weight loss transformations ever? Mama June, also known as Honey Boo Boo’s mom on the shows Toddlers & Tiaras and Here Comes Honey Boo Boo.

A post shared by June Shannon (@mamajune) on Apr 8, 2018 at 8:15am PDT

Who is Mama June?

Mama June, whose real name is June Shannon, was a controversial character from the start. She first got pregnant at the age of 14 and dropped out of high school (though she later earned her GED). Over the course of her life, she’s dated several convicted child molesters, including her daughter Alanna’s father Mike Thompson.

Sadly, one of the most distinguishing features of Mama June was always her weight. At her heaviest, the reality television star weighed a shocking 460 pounds.

A post shared by June Shannon (@mamajune) on Jan 13, 2018 at 9:58am PST

When did Mama June lose weight?

June Shannon’s weight loss transformation didn’t happen in secret. The WEtv documentary called Mama June: From Not to Hot chronicled the dramatic transformation.

The biggest catalyst for change was Mama June’s gastric sleeve surgery in 2016. During the procedure, which is an alternative to the more well-known gastric bypass, the stomach’s size is reduced by about 75%. This helps you feel full longer and forces you to reduce your caloric intake dramatically.

In addition to having gastric sleeve surgery, Mama June worked with a professional trainer named Kenya Crooks. Her goal for weight loss? Fitting into a long sleeved, size 4 dress, which she planned to wear to her ex’s wedding. And making him regret letting her go, of course.

A post shared by June Shannon (@mamajune) on May 5, 2017 at 9:52am PDT

How much weight did June Shannon lose?

Weight loss surgery almost guarantees that a person will lose weight. Still, it requires some amount of commitment and lifestyle changes. Mama June committed to a new, healthier diet plan which included drastically reduces portion sizes. She also began getting serious about exercise. “I’ve worked my ass off, working out, getting healthy,” she said. “And now I feel like becoming the person on the outside that I always felt like on the inside.”

These changes helped the reality TV personality lose a whopping 84 pounds in just three months. By the time the special aired, Shannon weighed 137 pounds (she started at 352) and looked like a completely different person. She went from a size 18 to a size 4.

A post shared by June Shannon (@mamajune) on Apr 1, 2017 at 7:55am PDT

Mama June underwent more surgeries

Weight loss wasn’t the only change that Mama June made to her appearance. Like many other gastric sleeve patients, Shannon also opted for skin removal surgery following her fast weight loss results. Then she scheduled a breast augmentation and got veneers to complete the beautifying process.

What did her kids think of the weight loss?

Mama June’s daughter Alanna (better known as Honey Boo Boo) said, “She looks great. I’m really proud of her.” Alanna has also struggled with obesity for most of her life and is no doubt benefitting from her mom’s healthy eating tips.

A post shared by June Shannon (@mamajune) on Aug 2, 2018 at 8:42am PDT

Her daughter Lauryn said that at first it was hard to adjust, but eventually, everyone in the family got on board. “At first, we didn’t want to participate in the fact that she was eating healthy and things like that,” Lauryn told E! News. “But as I went along, we could tell that she really needed the support so me and her both decided that it was just something that we needed to do what support her. So we did the meal plans with her.”

Did she achieve her goal of wowing her ex? Sounds like the answer is yes. When Mike “Sugar Bear” Thompson first laid eyes on his ex following her transformation, supposedly his reaction was to say, “Holy sh*t.”